Carrier assembly with caps for medical connectors

ABSTRACT

An assembly for mounting medical connector caps includes a carrier formed from a sheet of material and having an array of holes. The assembly also includes a plurality of medical connector caps. Each cap is inserted into one of the holes of the array. The assembly also includes a plurality of sealing tabs. The tabs may be retained on the carrier by friction fit into the holes of the carrier. The carrier may also include a mounting hole to hang on a pole of an IV line.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/794,338 filed on Mar. 11, 2013, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.9,101,750 on Aug. 11, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/564,122, filed on Aug. 1, 2012, which issued asU.S. Pat. No. 8,419,713 on Apr. 16, 2013, All of these applications areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to medical connector caps, and moreparticularly to assemblies of such caps that provide a seal over theopenable end of such caps.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known in the prior art to provide a female medical connector capwith a seal over its openable end, so as to enable storage of theconnector cap in a manner to prevent contamination of the interior ofthe cap. It is also known in the prior art to provide an assemblyemploying a sealing strip, composed of a foil-based material orfoil-based composite, that seals the openable end of each of a series offemale medical connector caps affixed to the sealing strip. Assembliesof this sort have a number of disadvantages, including a risk that, indislodging a selected one of the caps from the sealing strip for use,another one of the caps might be partially or completely dislodged fromthe sealing strip and therefore suffer a risk of contamination.Moreover, in dislodging a cap from the strip, it is convenient to grab,with one hand, the strip near near where the cap is attached and tograb, with the other hand, the cap near where it is attached to thestrip; both hands are therefore near the opening of the cap as itbecomes uncovered, and there is a risk that one or more fingers of theuser will come into contact with the opening of the cap and introducemicroorganisms into it, so as to defeat the purpose of the cap and thestrip of protecting the medical connector from microorganisms.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In a first embodiment of the invention there is provided an assemblymounting medical connector caps for use. In this embodiment, theassembly includes a carrier formed from a sheet of material. The carrierhas an array of holes. The assembly also includes a plurality of medicalconnector caps, each cap having (i) an openable end configured to covera medical connector and (ii) a closed graspable end. Each cap isinserted into one of the holes of the array. The assembly also includesa plurality of sealing tabs. A distinct sealing tab includes a coverportion that sealingly covers the openable end of a corresponding one ofthe caps and includes an overhang portion that overhangs the openableend thereof. The overhang portion is dimensioned to include a tether ofsufficient length that a tip of the tether overlaps an adjacent portionof the carrier. The tip is affixed to the carrier, so that thecorresponding one of the caps is tethered to the carrier by such sealingtab. The assembly is configured so that a user can prepare a selectedone of the caps for use by grasping its graspable end and both removingthe selected cap from its corresponding hole and tearing away itsopenable end from the cover portion of the sealing tab, utilizing thetether to retain the sealing tab as affixed to the carrier.

In a related embodiment, the tether is configured so that when a userprepares the selected one of the caps for use, a user can choose tomanipulate the cap in relation to the carrier so as to break the tetherand remove the cap from its corresponding hole, while leaving the coverportion of the sealing tab to sealingly cover the openable end of thecap, so that a user may remove the cover portion at a desired time afterremoving the cap from its corresponding hole.

Optionally, each of the holes into which one of the caps is inserted issized to secure such cap therein with a friction fit, so as tomechanically stabilize such cap in relation to the carrier.

Optionally, each of the caps includes a disinfectant disposed therein.

Optionally, the sheet of material is flexible.

In various further embodiments, the sheet of material is a polymericfilm, such as a polyolefin. Optionally, the polyolefin is selected fromthe group consisting of polyethylene and polypropylene. Also optionally,the polyolefin is polyethylene.

Also further embodiments, the sealing tabs are made of metal foil. Inother embodiments, the sealing tabs are made of a composite polymericsheet with a metal foil layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of embodiments will be more readily understood byreference to the following detailed description, taken with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art assembly of female medicalconnector caps affixed to a sealing tab;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carrier for use in connection with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly including the carrier ofFIG. 2, as seen from the underside of the carrier, populated withmedical connector caps, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3, this timeas seen from the upper side of the carrier;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the underside of the assembly of ofFIG. 3, providing detail with respect to a single connector cap of theassembly;

FIGS. 6-8 are a series of perspective views showing how the assembly canbe used to prepare a medical connector cap for use;

In FIG. 6, the user is seen to have grasped with one hand a graspableend of the connector cap while with another hand to have grasped thecarrier;

In FIG. 7, the user has partially removed the cap from its correspondinghole in the carrier and caused some of the cover portion of the sealingtab to be removed from the openable end of the cap; and

In FIG. 8, the user has complete removed the cap from its correspondinghole in the carrier and caused the cover portion of the sealing tab tobe removed from the openable end of the cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims,the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless thecontext otherwise requires:

A “medical connector cap” is a cap for a medical connector, such as (butnot limited to) a luer connector. Consequently, a “female medicalconnector cap” is a cap for a female medical connector. A “male medicalconnector cap” is a cap for a male medical connector. The cap may, butneed not necessarily, include a disinfectant. The cap may, but need notnecessarily, be capable of cleaning or disinfecting the medicalconnector for which it is a cap.

The “openable end” of a medical connector cap is the end of the cap thatis open to a cavity into which the medical connector is received.Typically, prior to use, the openable end of the medical connector capis covered in one manner or another to prevent contamination of theinterior of the cap, and for that reason we term this end as “openable”rather than “open”.

The “graspable end” of a medical connector cap is the end of the capthat is grasped by the user in placing the cap on a medical connectorand in removing the cap from the medical connector. We refer to thegraspable end as “closed” because the cavity of the medical connectorcannot be reached from the graspable end.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art assembly of female medicalconnector caps 12 affixed to a sealing tab 11. The sealing tab 11 isdesigned to provide a seal over the openable end of each of the femaleconnector caps 12, and therefore must be made of a suitable material,such as metal foil or a composite plastic sheet with a foil layer as abarrier. Assemblies of this sort have a number of disadvantages,including a risk that, in dislodging one of the caps from the sealingtab for use, another one of the caps might be partially or completelydislodged from the sealing tab and therefore suffer a risk ofcontamination.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carrier 21 for use in connection withan embodiment of the present invention. The carrier includes a sheetthat may be made of any suitable material. Suitable materials may bepolymeric or composite polymeric materials, such as a polyolefin,styrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET, including Mylar), polyvinylchloride (PVC), or polyurethane. Of the polyolefins, low or high densitypolyethylene may be suitable, as well as polypropylene. Although thesheet may desirably be flexible, in other applications, a rigid sheetmay also be employed for the carrier.

The carrier 21 includes at least one mounting hole 23, located tofacilitate mounting of the carrier at one end, and may optionallyinclude a pair of mounting holes 23 at each end or any desired number ofmounting holes. One of the mounting holes 23 may be used, for example,to hang the carrier on a hook or other member protruding from an IVpole. Alternatively, a pair of mounting holes 23 may be usedsimultaneously to mount the carrier 21 in an approximately horizontalorientation. The carrier 21 also includes an array of holes 22 forreceiving therein a corresponding population of medical connector caps,in a manner discussed in further detail below.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembly including the carrier 21 ofFIG. 2, as seen from the underside of the carrier, populated withmedical connector caps 31, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. A medical connector cap 31 resides in each hole 22 inthe array of holes in the carrier 21 depicted in FIG. 2. Each hole 22 issized to secure its corresponding cap with a friction fit, so as tomechanically stabilize the cap in relation to the carrier. The carriermay be suitably populated with female medical connector caps.Alternatively, the carrier may be suitably populated with male medicalconnector caps. As yet another alternative, the carrier may be populatedwith a mixture of male and female medical connector caps. Because thedimensions of caps for male medical connectors are typically differentfrom the dimensions of caps for female medical connectors, the size ofthe holes 22 will typically need to be sized according to specificmedical connector cap intended to be resident therein. In an alternativeembodiment, the holes 22 are configured to receive the medical connectorcaps without a friction fit.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, each cap 31 has a separate sealing tab 32.The sealing tab 32 includes a cover portion 322, which sealingly coversthe openable end of the cap 31. The sealing tab also includes anoverhang portion that overhangs the openable end of the cap 31. Theoverhang portion is dimensioned to include a tether 323 of sufficientlength that a tip 321 of the tether overlaps an adjacent portion of thecarrier 2. The tip 321 is affixed to the carrier 21, so that thecorresponding cap 31 is tethered to the carrier 21 by the sealing tab32. The sealing tab may be made of metal foil or it may be a compositepolymeric sheet with a metal foil layer as a barrier. In the event acomposite is used for the sealing tab, it is necessary only that thefoil layer should exist over the openable end of the cap 31; no foil isneeded on the tether 323 or the tip 321 of the tether, althoughoptionally the entire tab may include the foil layer. The sealing tab 32may be affixed to the openable end of the cap 31 and to the carrier 21by glue, UV adhesive, mechanical means, or by thermal bonding.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3, this timeas seen from the upper side of the carrier.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the underside of the assembly of FIG.3, providing detail with respect to a single connector cap of theassembly.

FIGS. 6-8 are a series of perspective views showing how the assembly canbe used to prepare a medical connector cap for use. In FIG. 6, the useris seen to have grasped with one hand the graspable end of the connectorcap while with another hand to have grasped the carrier.

In FIG. 7, the user has partially removed the cap from its correspondinghole 22 in the carrier 21 and caused some of the cover portion 322 ofthe sealing tab 32 to be removed from the openable end of the cap. Thetether 323 and its tip 321 keep the sealing tab 32 affixed to thecarrier 21.

In FIG. 8, the user has completely removed the cap from itscorresponding hole in the carrier and caused the cover portion of thesealing tab to be removed from the openable end of the cap. The tether323 and its tip 321 continue to keep the sealing tab 32 affixed to thecarrier 21. In FIG. 8, the user is seen to be ready to place thecap—here a cap for female medical connector, in particular, for aneedleless injection site—on the corresponding medical connector.

As described in connection with FIG. 3, embodiments of the presentinvention are equally applicable to caps for male connectors, so FIGS.6-8 might have shown the user as having removed a cap for a maleconnector from an appropriately populated carrier 21, and being ready toplace the male cap on a male medical connector.

FIGS. 6-8 show that the user may prepare a medical connector cap foruse, with a single gesture that removes the medical connector cap fromthe carrier 21 and also removes the sealing tab 32 from the connectorcap.

Although we have just shown how as part of the single gesture thesealing tab 32 may be removed from the connector cap, the sealing tab(and the tether 323 and tip 32)1 may be configured so that when a userprepares the selected one of the caps for use, a user can choose tomanipulate the cap in relation to the carrier (for example, by twistingit in place) so as to break the tether, and thereafter remove the capfrom its corresponding hole, while leaving the cover portion of thesealing tab to sealingly cover the openable end of the cap. In thismanner, a user may remove the cover portion at a desired time afterremoving the cap from its corresponding hole.

The embodiments herein described offer a number of advantages over priorart assemblies. First, the embodiments herein provide a mechanism, formechanical mounting of the cap 31 in the carrier 21, that is distinctfrom the sealing mechanism that covers the openable end of the cap. Byproviding distinct mechanisms for mounting and for sealing, theembodiments herein provide much better protection to the caps from theeffects of hard use in a hospital or other medical environment.Additionally, embodiments herein described provide a distinct cover foreach cap, namely the cover portion 322 of the tab 32, whereas the priorart teaches the same sealing strip for all caps in the assembly. Whereasin the prior art any jostling of the assembly risks breaking the seal ofany number of caps to the sealing strip, here any jostling of theassembly will be resisted by the friction fit of each cap in itscorresponding hole in the carrier. Moreover, even if cap 31 were to movein relation to the carrier 21, still the cover portion 322 of thesealing tab can experience force only as applied through the tether 323from the carrier 21 via tip 321. Because the tether 323 is flexible, theforce experienced by the cover portion 322 is minimal, and thus thecover portion 322 provides a seal that is robust even when the assemblyexperience physically rugged forces. Moreover, as discussed, the tab canbe configured so that a user can break the tether 323 and remove the capfrom the carrier 21 while maintaining the cover portion 322 intact onthe cap; in this way the cap can be transported after removal from thecarrier 21 under conditions that avoid risk of contaminating theinterior of the cap, whereas removing the cap from the assembly in theprior art necessarily exposes the interior of the cap to a risk ofcontamination.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to bemerely exemplary; numerous variations and modifications will be apparentto those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications areintended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined inany appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An assembly mounting medical connector caps foruse, the assembly comprising: a carrier shaped as a sheet of material,the carrier having an array of holes; and a plurality of medicalconnector caps, each of the caps having an openable end configured tocover a medical connector, and a closed graspable end, wherein each ofthe caps is inserted into one of the holes of the array, such that eachof the caps is retained in one of the holes of the array, wherein eachof the holes into which one of the caps is inserted is sized to securesuch cap therein with a friction fit, so as to mechanically stabilizesuch cap in relation to the carrier.
 2. An assembly according to claim1, wherein each of the caps includes a disinfectant disposed therein. 3.An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of material isflexible.
 4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the sheet ofmaterial is a polymeric film.
 5. An assembly according to claim 4,wherein the polymeric film is a polyolefin.
 6. An assembly according toclaim 5, wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene and polypropylene.
 7. An assembly according to claim 5,wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene.
 8. An assembly according toclaim 1, wherein the carrier includes at least one mounting hole.
 9. Anassembly according to claim 1, wherein the caps are configured to covera female end of a medical connector.
 10. An assembly according to claim1, wherein the caps are configured to cover a male end of a medicalconnector.
 11. An assembly mounting medical connector caps for use, theassembly comprising: a carrier shaped as a sheet of material, thecarrier having an array of holes; a plurality of medical connector caps,each of the caps having an openable end configured to cover a medicalconnector and a closed graspable end, wherein each of the caps isinserted into one of the holes of the array; and means for retainingeach of the caps inserted in each respective hole, wherein each of theholes into which one of the caps is inserted is sized to secure such captherein with a friction fit, so as to mechanically stabilize such cap inrelation to the carrier.
 12. An assembly according to claim 11, whereineach of the caps includes a disinfectant disposed therein.
 13. Anassembly according to claim 11, wherein the sheet of material isflexible.
 14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the sheet ofmaterial is a polymeric film selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene and polypropylene.
 15. An assembly according to claim 11,wherein the carrier includes at least one mounting hole.
 16. An assemblyaccording to claim 11, wherein the caps are configured to cover a femaleend of a medical connector.
 17. An assembly according to claim 11,wherein the caps are configured to cover a male end of a medicalconnector.